#165: BELVAUX, Rémy; BONZEL, André & POELVOORDE, Benoit: Man Bites Dog (1992)
BELVAUX, Rémy; BONZEL, André & POELVOORDER, Benoit (France)
Man Bites Dog [1992]
Spine #165
DVD
DVD
Documentary filmmakers André and Rémy have found an ideal subject in Ben. He is witty, sophisticated, intelligent, well-liked — and a serial killer. As André and Rémy record Ben's routines, they become increasingly entwined in his vicious program, sacrificing both their objectivity and their morality. Controversial winner of the International Critics' Prize at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival, Man Bites Dog (C'est arrivé près de chez vous) stunned audiences worldwide with its unflinching imagery and brutal satire of media violence and moviemaking.
96 minutes
Black & White
Black & White
Monaural
in French
1:66:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2002
Directors/Writers
Belvaux, Bonzel & Poelvoorde
Based on an original idea by Rémy Belvaux.
Belvaux was 26, Bonzel was 31 and Poelvoorder was 28 when they directed Man Bites Dog.
Poelvoorde is the only one who managed to continue a successful acting career. Belvaux committed suicide in 2006.
The Film
The Criterion Collection is smart to curate films like this one.
Violent, extremely disturbing, incredibly difficult to watch, the filmmakers have nevertheless made a fantastic horrible film as a faux-documentary about a serial killer — played by one of the directors — Poelvoorder, who inhabits the character of “Ben” — the crazed killer. (Ben’s parents are played by Poelvoorder’s real parents.)
Not particularly enjoyable to watch, Man Bites Dog is nevertheless essential cinema. But why — what’s the point?
A documentary filmmaker who witnessed his or her subject committing a murder is complicit, absent an immediate report to the authorities. Our cinematic documentarians are immoral human beings from the very first time they film a murder. Perhaps that’s ultimately the point; our media addiction to sensationalism.
Oh yes — there is punishment along the way. Crew members are killed and the body count seems to never stop.
Eventually, they are happily (?) engaged in abetting Ben in every blood-soaked adventure. Eventually the crew participates in a brutal rape-murder which helped earned the film its NC-17 rating in the U.S.
In the end ...
Well watch if you care to. Do not allow your children to watch this film.
Critics differ:
“Man Bites Dog defines audacity. An assured, seductive chamber of horrors, it marries nightmare with humor and then abruptly takes the laughter away. Intentionally disturbing, it is close to the last word about the nature of violence on film, a troubling, often funny vision of what the movies have done to our souls ...” (Kenneth Turan)
“An original, a stark and (sorry) biting work far more complex, both stylistically and thematically, than first meets the eye.” (Rob Gonsalves)
“A grisly sick joke of a film that some will find funny, others simply appalling ... the film gets carried away with its own cleverness. It makes the audience the butt of a nasty practical joke.” (Stephen Holden)
Ultimately, it is perhaps indeed a nasty practical joke. But the joke is not on us, not on the violence so casually depicted throughout — it is the intersection of media sensationalism and the poor schleps who run around with heavy equipment trying to capture it all ...
Film Rating (0-60):
The Booklet
Eight-page wraparound featuring an essay by Matt Zoller Seitz and a short piece by Bonzel.
50
The ExtrasThe Booklet
Eight-page wraparound featuring an essay by Matt Zoller Seitz and a short piece by Bonzel.
Commentary
None
None
Video interview
with the filmmakers
in their broken English ...
Short
Short
No C4 for Daniel-Daniel, a 1989 short by the filmmakers
Actually an imaginary trailer for an imaginary spy thriller. Meh.
Video essay
by André Bonzel about the making of the film
Stills gallery
They look like they’re having fun.
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